color scheme : A selection of colors that the user sees when using Windows. These colors make up the display of applications, dialog boxes, etc.

COM : COM refers to a serial port on which a peripheral is connected to. A COM port is a communications port. Peripherals plugged into COM ports usually include modems and mice.

Command : An option form an applicationÃ¢â‚¬â„¢s menu, or a command typed in by the user, such as at a DOS prompt or at the Run dialog box in Windows.

command button -:A command button, when clicked, will cause an action to occur.

Connection : An established communication session between a server and a workstation.

control menu : Any menu that exists in every window and allows the user to change its settings such as its size and position.

Control Panel : A system utility that comes with Windows that allows the use to change a variety if different Windows and system settings.

conventional memory -:Memory located in the first 640K block.

CPU : Central Processing Unit. This is what you may call the "brain" of your computer.

current window -:The window that you are using right now.

Cursor : The representation of the mouse on-screen. Depending on your settings, the cursor can be many different things.

Database : A group of files or a single file that is designed to hold recurring data types, just as if the files are lists.

data bits : The number of bits needed to transmit a single piece of information. This number is usually around 7 or 8.

default button : A command button that will activate once the user presses Enter. The default button is recognizable by a dark outline around it.

default printer : The printer that will print documents automatically if a different printer is not specified beforehand.

Desktop -:The area of the screen where windows are displayed.

dialog box : A message box that appears on-screen that asks the user for input or relays information to the user.

Dial-up Networking -:Using a modem to dial into a remote site network.

DIMM (Dual In-line Memory Module) : A module on which RAM is packaged. DIMMÃ¢â‚¬â„¢s can be used individually on a Pentium motherboard.

Disk Defragmenter : A Windows 95 tool that organizes blocks of information on your hard drive to shorten the time it takes to read certain files.

docking station : An external device for use with laptop computers that provides additional options for the laptop. These include a full screen monitor, a mouse, an extra disk drive, serial ports, and many other options as well.

Document -:A file created by an application.

DOS : Disk Operating System. DOS refers to any Disk Operating System such as MS-DOS and PC-DOS.

Download -:Retrieving a file from a BBS, an FTP site, or a remote computer.

Drag : Holding the mouse button down while moving it to a different position on screen.

drag and drop : When you click your mouse once and an object and hold it, while simultaneously moving that item to a different location.

DRAM (Dynamic RAM) : The standard main memory type in most of todayÃ¢â‚¬â„¢s computers. DRAM is stored with information as a series or charges in a capacitor.

DriveSpace : DriveSpace is a program that comes with Windows 95 that gives the user a number of options dealing with disk drives. These options include mounting and unmounting a drive, compressing and decompressing a drive, checking how much space is left on a disk drive and so on.

drop-down list : A dialog box such as a File menu that contains one command until it is clicked when a number of different commands "drop-down."

dual-boot : A dual-boot system is one that when booted, will give the user a choice to boot into either of two operating systems.

EDO RAM (Extended-Data-Out RAM) : EDO RAM recognizes that most of the time when the CPU requests memory for a particular address, it will want some more addresses nearby.